Safety water column



'(No Model.)

F M. ASHLEY.

N M L 0 G R E T A W Y T Du F A S Patented Mar. 14, 1893.

W/T/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. ASHLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SAFETY WATER COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,238, dated March14, 1893.

Application filed October 17, 1891. Serial No. 409,064- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M, ASHLEY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Water 001-umns and Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a cheap and simple safetywater column and alarm, which will be positive in its action, not easilydisarranged or disordered, and having therein a valve and connectingmechanism which are not affected by the pressure of steam in the boiler.

In constructing my invention I provide a Vertically disposed drum orcylinder, having a tapering lower end, with an outlet all cast in onepiece, and a one-way valve, to close this end. The upper end has a head,provided centrally with a boss, and a hole therein, by means of whichlive steam may be admitted or for attaching a pressure gage thereto. Oneside of the cylinder has two bosses with holes for attaching the glassgage, while the opposite side has two similar holes whereby connectioncan be made with the boiler above and below the water line. The upperend of the cylinder has on one side a bulbous extension to which Iattach valves and outlet tubes for the steam, and the float and leverconnected therewith, on the inner side, while on top of this extensionis the whistle for giving the alarm. The float is made of blown glasssecured to a proper adjustable stem so that no danger will arise frompenetration of the steam or moisture through the wall of the float, asis the case with certain Kinds of metal used for this purpose, all ofwhich will now be set forth in detail.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section of my improvedsafety water column and alarm, and Fig. 2 a top view of same.

In the drawings, A is a shell or cylinder of suitable size having itslower end tapering or contracted, as shown at B, the extremity beingprovided with a discharge aperture and a one-way valve 0 located in thisdischarge aperture. On the front side between the apertures D D is awater gage, and on the rear side are two bosses E having holes F therethrough for the boiler connections at the water line. The upper end ofthis cylinder has a cap G and the rear side of the cylinder has abulbous extension'G, to contain the valve and the valve stem. The top Hof this extension is preferably cast with the cylinder A and this top isdesigned to receive the stem I which passes up through the hole J in theboss K.

The upper end of the stem I is screw threaded to receive the tube L ofthe steam whistle M, and the stem has a bore N which extends down asuitable distance and connects with a horizontal bore 0. To the lowerend of this stem is fulcrumed the lever P which supports the float. Onthe side of the stem I toward the center of the cylinder A, is ahorizontal projection Q which projects out a short dis tance, andterminates in a T-thread R. Through this latter portion R is a verticalbore, which receivesa longitudinally movable plug S, the lower end beinghinged to the lever P between its fulcrum and the float stem. Thehorizontal bore 0 coincides with the vertical bore which receives theplug S, and as the plug S has an annular, V- shaped groove T the body ofthe plug cuts off the passage of steam unless the float'should draw downthe inner end of the lever P, which action would draw down the plug S sothat the V- shaped groove would be on a line with the bore 0, and allowthe steam to pass up the tube N, and give the low-water alarm on thewhistle.

The inner end of the lever P, has a vertical hole U to receive the stemV of the bulb W. The stem may be either hinged to the bulb as shown, orfixed. The stem has two movable collars X,0ne above and the other belowthe lever P, by means of which the movement of the bulb and the throw ofthe lever may be regulated.

The bulb is made of blown glass having a screw-threaded tubular head Y,integral therewith, and over this head I' screw a spun cap Z, to whichcap I attach the stem V. Between the cap and the head Y is a gasket Z ofany suitable material, so that when the cap is screwed on the bulb canbe made air tight.

' The operation is very simple. If the Water in the boiler should fallbelow the desired point, the weight of the bulb would be suificieut todraw down the inner end of the lever, P, and thus draw down the plug Sso that the V- groove would be within the bore 0. In the event there wassteam in the boiler, it would immediately pass into the bore 0 andthence to the steam whistle, giving the alarm. The collars X are adjustable,the upper one being, preferably, so fixed that when the bulbrests on the lower end of the cylinder the V-shaped groove will be inposition to allow the steam to enter the bore S, although, if desired,to fix the low water mark at any higher point the upper collar can belowered.

One feature of great advantage in the construction of this alarm, is theease with which it can be repaired, as all the operative mechanism is011 the under side of the cap, and attached thereto, so that when thecap is removed all the mechanism is taken out with it. Again, the lever,by being fulcru med close to the plug, enables me to get an easiermovement of the plug, than if the plug were directl y connected with thebulb. By constructing the bulb of glass, I am able to furnish theapparatus much cheaper than if made of brass or similar metal, asusually constructed, and as steam or water does not pass through poresof the glass, it is not as liable to get out of order as if constructedof copper or similar metal.

What I claim as new is In a safety water column, the combination of ashell or cylinder,a stem sliding in an aperture of the casing of saidcylinder, said stem being provided with a steam passage leading to thealarm device, a valve in said steam passage, a lever operating saidvalve, and a float connected with said lever, all the parts beingattached to said stem whereby the same are bodily removable, said stemhaving a screw-threaded extension projecting outside the shell, with analarm arranged to be screwed upon said extension and hold the stem inposition, substantially as described.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this22d day of October, A. D. 1890.

FRANK M. ASHLEY.

\Vitnesses:

J. S. ZERBE, I. S. ELKINS.

